Initial Public Health Response and Interim Clinical Guidance for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak — United States, December 31, 2019–February 4, 2020
Anita Patel, Daniel B. Jernigan, 2019-nCoV CDC Response Team, 2019-nCoV CDC Response Team, Fatuma Abdirizak, Glen R. Abedi, Sharad Aggarwal, Denise Albina, Elizabeth S. Allen, Lauren M. Andersen, Jade Anderson, Megan Anderson, Tara C. Anderson, Kayla N. Anderson, Ana C. Bardossy, Vaughn Barry, Karlyn D. Beer, Michael Bell, Sherri Berger, Joseph Bertulfo, Holly M. Biggs, Jennifer Bornemann, Josh Bornstein, Willie Bower, Joseph Bresee, Clive Brown, Alicia Budd, Jennifer Buigut, S. Bürke, Rachel M. Burke, Erin Burns, Jay C. Butler, Russell Cantrell, Cristina V. Cardemil, Jordan Cates, Marty Cetron, Kevin Chatham‐Stephens, Kevin Chatham-Stevens, Nora Chea, Bryan Christensen, Victoria Chu, Kevin R. Clarke, Angela A. Cleveland, Nicole J. Cohen, Max Cohen, Amanda Cohn, Jennifer Collins, Rebecca M. Dahl, W. Randolph Daley, Vishal Dasari, Elizabeth Davlantes, Patrick Dawson, Lisa Delaney, Matthew Donahue, Chad Dowell, Jonathan Dyal, William Christopher Edens, Rachel B. Eidex, Lauren Epstein, Mary E. Evans, Ryan Fagan, Kevin Farris, Leora R. Feldstein, LeAnne M. Fox, Mark Frank, Brandi Freeman, Alicia M. Fry, James A. Fuller, Romeo R. Galang, Sue Gerber, Runa H. Gokhale, S. Goldstein, Sue Gorman, William J. Gregg, William Greim, Steven Grube, Aron J. Hall, Amber Haynes, Sherrasa Hill, Jennifer Hornsby‐Myers, Jennifer C. Hunter, Christopher Ionta, Cheryl Isenhour, Max W. Jacobs, Kara Jacobs Slifka, Daniel B. Jernigan, Michael A. Jhung, Jamie Jones-Wormley, Anita Kambhampati, Shifaq Kamili, Pamela Kennedy, Charlotte Kent, Marie E. Killerby, Lindsay Kim, Hannah L. Kirking, Lisa M. Koonin, Ram Koppaka, Christine Kosmos, David T. Kuhar, Wendi Kuhnert-Tallman
Abstract
Also on January 31, the president of the United States signed a "Proclamation on Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus," which limits entry into the United States of persons who traveled to mainland China to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents and their families (3). CDC, multiple other federal agencies, state and local health departments, and other partners are implementing aggressive measures to slow transmission of 2019-nCoV in the United States (4,5). These measures require the identification of cases and their contacts in the United States and the appropriate assessment and care of travelers arriving from mainland China to the United States. These measures are being implemented in anticipation of additional 2019-nCoV cases in the United States. Although these measures might not prevent the eventual establishment of ongoing, widespread transmission of the virus in the United States, they are being implemented to 1) slow the spread of illness; 2) provide time to better prepare health care systems and the general public to be ready if widespread transmission with substantial associated illness occurs; and 3) better characterize 2019-nCoV infection to guide public health recommendations and the development of medical countermeasures including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Public health authorities are monitoring the situation closely. As more is learned about this novel virus and this outbreak, CDC will rapidly incorporate new knowledge into guidance for action by CDC and state and local health departments.